There is just no way to really represent this image well in a virtual space. The drawing itself is almost 7′ long, which means it stretches across a large part of most walls. In fact, I had to draw this in two large parts, and then join them together using linen tape. Even with that, there were a few weeks after it was joined (I had to balance the tone across the entire image) where I needed to setup my kitchen table next to my art desk to be able to hold the whole drawing!
This image took my white space even further, and of course it was the perfect subject to do that with. Alcatraz itself is an island, and how appropriate to have the island literally floating in white space? But the shoreline, across the bottom of the image, feels like the white space is water lapping at the rocky edges.
While the drawing itself was based on a somewhat blurry photograph I had taken of the island from the far side of the Golden Gate Bridge (in a rare moment of clarity across the bay!) – in order to really understand what I was drawing, I began reading a lot about the history of Alcatraz. It helped me establish a more personal connection with the location I was drawing. In fact, when I finally visited the island in person years after this was done, I felt like I knew more about the place than the tour guide!
This drawing officially marked the end of my time in art school – it was my scholarship project. The three months I spent on this (which included 8 hour days most weekends, and middle of the night spurts of drawing) are a bit of a blur, but this is a piece I am very proud of.